Ray Castoldi
Encyclopedia
Ray Castoldi has been the organist at Madison Square Garden
since 1989. During the summer, when the New York Rangers
and New York Knicks
are spending their offseasons, Castoldi can be heard at the organ at New York Mets
games at Citi Field (and previously Shea Stadium
). Because of this, he is the only person to play for the Mets, Rangers and Knicks in the same season. (Similarly Gladys Gooding had played organ for the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Knicks and Rangers in the same year; likewise Eddie Layton
played for the New York Yankees
, Knicks and Rangers in the same season.)
Castoldi has played the organ at the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals
, 1994 NHL All-Star Game, and 1998 NBA All-Star Game
, all of which were played at Madison Square Garden
, and at the 2000 World Series
, played at Shea Stadium. He was also a music director for the ice hockey
competition at the 2006 Winter Olympics
in Torin, Italy
. He has also played for many other events such as several Pro Bowls, several NHL All-Star Games, and several Winter Olympic Hockey games.
Castoldi has contributed to the Jock Jams
and Jock Rock
series of albums, as well as Hallmark Cards
.
Castoldi also wrote Slapshot, the song that is played after the Rangers score a goal at Madison Square Garden.
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
since 1989. During the summer, when the New York Rangers
New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
and New York Knicks
New York Knicks
The New York Knickerbockers, prominently known as the Knicks, are a professional basketball team based in New York City. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association...
are spending their offseasons, Castoldi can be heard at the organ at New York Mets
New York Mets
The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. They belong to Major League Baseball's National League East Division. One of baseball's first expansion teams, the Mets were founded in 1962 to replace New York's departed National League...
games at Citi Field (and previously Shea Stadium
Shea Stadium
William A. Shea Municipal Stadium, usually shortened to Shea Stadium or just Shea , was a stadium in the New York City borough of Queens, in Flushing Meadows–Corona Park. It was the home baseball park of Major League Baseball's New York Mets from 1964 to 2008...
). Because of this, he is the only person to play for the Mets, Rangers and Knicks in the same season. (Similarly Gladys Gooding had played organ for the Brooklyn Dodgers, the Knicks and Rangers in the same year; likewise Eddie Layton
Eddie Layton
Edward M. "Eddie" Layton played the organ at old Yankee Stadium for 31 seasons, earning him membership in the New York Sports Hall of Fame.-Career:...
played for the New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
, Knicks and Rangers in the same season.)
Castoldi has played the organ at the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals
1994 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1994 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven playoff series contested between the Eastern Conference champion New York Rangers and Western Conference champion Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League...
, 1994 NHL All-Star Game, and 1998 NBA All-Star Game
1998 NBA All-Star Game
The 1998 NBA All-Star Game was the 48th edition of the North American National Basketball Association All-Star Game. The event was held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The East won the game 135–114. This game was the debut of Kobe Bryant as the youngest all-star in NBA history at 19...
, all of which were played at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, and at the 2000 World Series
2000 World Series
-Game 1:Saturday, October 21, 2000 at Yankee Stadium in Bronx, New YorkThe opener fell on two anniversaries. Twenty-five years prior, Boston Red Sox's catcher Carlton Fisk ended Game 6 of the 1975 World Series with his famous home run off the left field foul pole in Fenway Park in Boston to beat...
, played at Shea Stadium. He was also a music director for the ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
competition at the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
in Torin, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
. He has also played for many other events such as several Pro Bowls, several NHL All-Star Games, and several Winter Olympic Hockey games.
Castoldi has contributed to the Jock Jams
Jock Jams
Jock Jams is a series of compilation albums released by Tommy Boy Records.It featured music from the mid-1990s that mainly consisted of classic 1980s and 1990s dance music...
and Jock Rock
Jock Rock
Jock Rock is a series of compilation albums released by Tommy Boy Records.Released a year prior to the successful Jock Jams series, the Jock Rock series of albums consisted of classic rock songs. Some tracks on the Jock Rock albums were dubbed into the "Jock Jam Megamix."-Albums:...
series of albums, as well as Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards is a privately owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce C. Hall, Hallmark is the largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1985, the company was awarded the National Medal of Arts....
.
Castoldi also wrote Slapshot, the song that is played after the Rangers score a goal at Madison Square Garden.